The John C. Danforth Center at Washington University in St. Louis is pleased to offer up to two fellowships to support completion of a dissertation pertaining to religion and politics in the United States. Fellows will spend the 2014-2015 academic year in residence at Washington University. While most of their time will be devoted to writing, fellows will contribute to the Center’s intellectual life by organizing a small event of interest to the wider University and general public and by participating in the Center’s weekly colloquium. Teaching opportunities may be available but are not required as part of the dissertation fellowship.

Compensation: Fellows will receive a stipend of $28,000 and a limited allowance for relocation. They will be given additional support for organizing their public event. Some funds may be available for professional travel. Fellows will be expected to continue their medical and other benefits through their home institutions.

Required Qualifications: Applicants should be currently enrolled in a doctoral program in religion, politics, history, American studies, anthropology, gender and sexuality, or another relevant field. They should be at work on a dissertation that is centrally concerned with historical or contemporary topics in the religious and political experience of the United States. By the time of application, prospective fellows should have received approval for the dissertation prospectus from their home institutions and satisfied all other requirements for doctoral candidacy. The fellowship is for one year and is non-renewable. Fellows must be prepared to complete their dissertation before the conclusion of the fellowship. Washington University in St. Louis is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, and it especially encourages members of underrepresented groups to apply. The fellowship is not open to students enrolled in a doctoral program at Washington University.

Application Instructions: Applicants must send the following items to the Center at rap@wustl.edu by January 1, 2014.

A current curriculum vitae

A cover letter that includes a description of a panel, small symposium, or other public event to be organized during the fellowship year

A 500-word description of the dissertation and its current state of progress

A copy of the approved dissertation prospectus

A writing sample, not to exceed 3000 words, from the dissertation

Please also arrange for three confidential letters of recommendation to be sent directly to the Center. One of these letters should come from the applicant’s dissertation advisor and should address the applicant’s timeline for completing the dissertation. Letters of recommendation are due by email January 1, 2014.

Invitations to fellows for 2014-2015 will be announced by February 15, 2014.

Contact:

For more information, please contact the Center at (314) 935-9345 or rap@wustl.edu.